Why Is Your Kid Fat?

There is no doubt that the surge in adolescent obesity is real. As a father of two wonderful young lasses, I am in their school yards virtually everyday and see it first hand. I will say however that, at least in New York City, most kids appear to be of normal body weight. The truly obese kids – the ones who need immediate care – are rare.

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Which Sleep Style Is Healthiest?

Your preferred p.m. pose could be giving you back and neck pain, tummy troubles, even premature wrinkles. Discover the best positions for your body--plus the one you may want to avoid.

The Best: Back Position

Good for: Preventing neck and back pain, reducing acid reflux, minimizing wrinkles, maintaining perky breasts

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Here are 12 reasons you shouldn't live another day without hitting the weights.

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Adults with arthritis suffer with poorer health related quality of life

         High prevalence of arthritis; aging population poses significant health burden in US

         A new study reports that the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for U.S. adults with arthritis is much worse than for those without this condition. Both physical and mental health are affected by arthritis, which poses a significant health and economic burden as the number of those diagnosed continues to climb. Details of this study are now online in Arthritis Care & Research, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).

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Study Gives Clues to How Obesity Spreads Socially

Newswise — TEMPE, Ariz. – Obesity is socially contagious, according to research published in the past few years. How it is “caught” from others remains a murky area. But findings from Arizona State University researchers published online May 5 in the American Journal of Public Health shed light on the transmission of obesity among friends and family.

Shared ideas about acceptable weight or body size play only a minor role in spreading obesity among friends, according to the findings published in the article “Shared Norms and Their Explanation for the Social Clustering of Obesity.”

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‘Bad’ Cholesterol Not As Bad As People Think, Shows Texas A&M Study

COLLEGE STATION, May 4, 2011 – The so-called “bad cholesterol” – low-density lipoprotein   commonly called LDL – may not be so bad after all, shows a Texas A&M University study that casts new light on the cholesterol debate, particularly among adults who exercise.

    Steve Riechman, a researcher in the Department of Health and Kinesiology, says the study reveals that LDL is not the evil Darth Vader of health it has been made out to be in recent years and that new attitudes need to be adopted in regards to the substance.  His work, with help from colleagues from the University of Pittsburgh, Kent State University, the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center and the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, is published in the Journal of Gerontology.

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Low Vitamin D Levels Tied to Obesity in Kids

Fat accumulates as concentrations of the nutrient fall, and these changes differ by race, study finds.

FRIDAY, April 29 (HealthDay News) -- Vitamin D deficiency is common in American children and linked with obesity and different types of fat distribution in white and black youngsters, new research shows.

Vitamin D is found in certain foods, but humans synthesize most of the nutrient they need via the action of sunlight on exposed skin. Supplements can also boost levels of vitamin D.

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Calorie Intake Rises When Fast-Food Restaurants Nearby: Study

THURSDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- Increased access to fast food restaurants is associated with higher calorie intake among black Americans in the southeastern United States, a new study found.

Researchers analyzed data from 4,740 participants in the African American Jackson Heart Study. Researchers didn't find any consistent associations between the availability of fast food restaurants and body-mass index (BMI) or waist circumference.

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A good friend of mine Tracy Peal was interviewed by Philadelphia's Fox 29 on 6/6/11.  Tracy is what I call a "Movement Specialist".  The technique he uses is called The POSE Technique. He will analyze someone's movement, weather it is running, swimming, biking or any sport, and will help one move more efficiently and effectively so to become better at whatever activity they are doing and can do it with less chance of injury.  Check out what Jennphr Fredrick from Fox 29 has to say.  I think you will find it interesting.

 

"I always loved running...it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs."

Tracy Steven Peal, Sr., is an Elite Speed Coach and Movement Specialist. He has been engaged in the field of individual and group athletics, strength training and physical conditioning for over 15 years and continues to expand his field of expertise. As a Movement Specialist, Tracy analyzes sports biomechanics to provide the most effective way to increase speed, efficiency, quickness, agility, power and endurance. Through a unique re-engineering of the athlete’s understanding of movement potential and body perception - coupled with intense focus on specialized drills and exercises that re-trains an athlete’s neuromuscular firing patterns in order to improve to form and technique - athletes quickly develop the skills needed to markedly improve performance and significantly decrease injury potential.

Our philosophy is based on the principle that a true movement paradigm exists for sports excellence, one that necessitates mastering biomechanical efficiency above all. As an efficient athlete, you will avoid injury and recover quickly. You will be able to handle the stresses of training and competition, not just for a season, but for the rest of your competitive life. Only through careful assessment, planning, evaluation, rehab, and education will goals be achieved year after year. We help our athletes understand how the body moves and propels itself, developing his or her ability to sustain maximum effort with minimal energy cost.

The Fat Burning Zone Revisted

f you want to burn fat, just stay in the fat burning zone, right?  Have you ever heard this advice before?  Have you seen this zone on your favorite cardiovascular machine?   It’s one of the biggest misinterpretations in the fitness world.  

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